Digitalised world makes need for 'genuine human connection' greater than ever, says Kate
The princess reflected on the issue of the "digitalised world" in an essay about her recent two-day visit to Reggio Emilia in Italy
The Princess of Wales has said the "need for human connection" has never been greater in an increasingly digital world.
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The princess reflected on the issue of the "digitalised world" in an essay about her recent two-day visit to Reggio Emilia in Italy - her first overseas visit since 2022 after her cancer diagnosis.
She wrote: “The people of Reggio Emilia have shown that happy childhoods are the foundation of happy communities, and that genuine connection begins with listening and understanding.
“In an increasingly digitalised world, where so much of life is mediated through screens, the need for genuine human connection has never been greater.”
The princess wrote in her essay, published on the website of her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood: “By spending time in nature or being creative, we can nurture the very skills and emotions that cannot be digitised: awareness, empathy, humility, and above all, love.
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“These foundational qualities help us relate to others, understand our place in the world, and ultimately find meaning in life.
“All of them echo a way of being we knew instinctively in childhood, marked by openness, curiosity and emotional immediacy.”
Kate made a two-day visit to Reggio Emilia in April, described at the time by aides as the start of the princess taking her early years crusade around the world with vigour following her cancer experience.
She learned about the Reggio Emilia Approach, named after the city that pioneered the teaching method, that stresses the importance of the parents, educators and environment – “the third teacher” – that surround a child.
In her essay the princess suggested adults “might try to rediscover” their childhood when “mind, body and spirit” existed together.
Kate concluded by recounting a conversation she had with a fellow parent from Lambrook School in Berkshire where George, Charlotte and Louis are taught.
She said: “Last week, a parent at my children’s school asked me if we could all do just one thing, what would it be? My answer is simple: to prioritise love.
“I’m not talking about overly sentimental and romantic gestures, but love that is quiet and unconditional, built on time and patience: the joy found in ordinary things; the everyday magic of life itself.”